A Life Worth Living
by Ragdoll-bedsheet
Summary: AU. A Kakashi adopts Naruto story. Rating to be safe. My first story, be kind!


A Life worth living

Chapter one: an ultimate sacrifice.

AN: So this is my first fic, a life worth living. I've never really written anything big before, so this is new to me, and I hope you all like it. Just for the record, I'm British, so some words and spellings will most likely be different from what you use. Also any humour may be odd, not because it's British, but because I have a rather odd sense of humour. Well, anyway, on with the story!

* * *

The blood shed was immense. Corpses of Shinobi and Kunoichi who had sacrificed their lives in the vain hopes of stopping the huge fox now approaching Konohagakure were littering the ground, their blood everywhere, and their names never to be remembered. At the battlefront a number of chuunin and jounin were about to unleash a fresh barrage of their most powerful jutsu, until a lone chuunin, realizing their attempts were futile, shouted: "wait until the fourth gets here!"

* * *

"Don't worry, it'll be fine."

_Tick tock tick tock_

"No, no it won't. ...I'm confused Kakashi, what's sensei planning?" Asked a girl with long brown hair, tears streaking down her cheeks smudging her dark red make-up. He didn't answer her, only averted his gaze to the small window on looking the scene outside.

_Tick tock tick tock_

"Let me hold him." He walked over to the couch, which the girl, Rin, was sitting on. Placing himself next to her, he carefully handed over a small bundle of cloth. She brushed some of it aside revealing the face of a small blonde haired, blue eyed baby.

'They're so alike...' she thought, while gently stroking his cheek.

_Tick tock tick tock_

And so they sat there in silence, with only the small clock in the corner to help block out the piercing shrieks of the demon outside.

About half an hour later, a sliding noise from the left, signaling the opening of a window, lifted them out of their reverie. A man, a tall Blonde haired man, wearing a long flowing cloak was crouching on the windowsill, with a look of dead seriousness adorning his face. No words were spoken, they knew the drill. Rin, with the baby in her arms, walked over to the window, placing him in her sensei's, and newly appointed Hokage's, arms. He nodded his head, turned around to leave, only to be interrupted by Rin.

"What will his name be?"

"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." and with that, the man leapt out of the window, onto the giant toad that lay in wait.

* * *

Sarutobi stood in front of the crowd, uncomfortably trying to think of the right words to say. He was hosting the funeral of the Yondaime, after his death the other night. He had died a true hero's death, sacrificing his own life, (and one more, in a sense) for his village's well being. Everybody from the village had turned up to honour him, even those who barely knew him. The ones who knew him best were seated at the front. It was strange really, that a ninja who had been through as much as he had was too afraid to tell a few villager's about the fate of one small boy. He took in a deep breath, and then ...nothing. He didn't know what to do. He could tell them the truth, but at what cost? He knew the villager's would never accept Naruto for what he was. The Yondaime was wise in many ways, but biased towards the behaviour of his people. They wouldn't be able to see past the fox in his stoumach, and would hate him for it. He doubted anyone would question the technique used to vanquish the fox, so nobody would find out about it if he didn't say anything. But then who would take care of him? Most people would still be too upset about the losses of their loved ones to take on a child, and anyway, they would want to know why he was being treated differently from the other orphans, and why couldn't he be placed in the orphanage. But Naruto couldn't be placed in an orphanage; his power was too strong, and possibly unstable. Besides, Naruto's potential was too great, and he needed private tutoring, whilst most orphans just went to the academy. He was to become a great ninja.

But, it was the fourth's dying wish for the truth to be told, and for Naruto to be seen as a hero. So with that piece of information convincing him, he prepared himself for the revelation he was about to make.

* * *

He looked at his desk before him and sighed. 'Why must I always be cursed with paperwork?'

The said stacks of paper wavered precariously as he leaned back cursing his eternal bad luck. Naruto stirred a little in his sleep; Sarutobi had set up a small cot in his office to be used until he found somewhere Naruto could stay. There was a hasty knock at the door, and the Hokage's PA came through.

"There's a young boy and girl come to see you Hokage-sama, they say it's important, should I let them in? She rushed out, cheeks flushed, shaking slightly, and a trace of fear in her eyes.

"Yes"

She stepped back, letting in Kakashi and Rin. Immediately Sarutobi could see what was making her act so strange, the look of pure, raw anger in Kakashi's eye was enough to make even Morino Ibiki flinch. Before he could even open his mouth, Kakashi spoke:

"I thought you weren't going to tell."

You see a few days ago, the Sandaime had told them about Naruto's secret, the technique, and basically everything before he revealed it to the public. He, being too flustered to listen to them properly, had absentmindedly agreed on keeping Naruto's secret a secret, and had said he would raise him as a normal child (He was retired, you can't expect his concentration to be perfect!). They never thought the Hokage could be so reckless as to not pay attention to them. He sighed again, 'I should have known this was coming.'

"I had no choice kids; you know it was his wish."

"But Hokage-sama!" Shouted Rin, "You promised! You of all people should neve-"

He was feeling uncomfortably guilty now, which made him quite flustered.

"Stop! I have made my decision and that is final. And besides, there's no going back and changing what I said, it's all been done now."

After the outburst, silence ensued, until Kakashi spoke up.

"The villagers will never accept him now. They'll see him for the Demon inside of him, not the person."

"That's right," replied Rin, with hints of anger, "Who will look after him? You certainly can't Hokage-sama, you have your own family, and now your to busy to look after them."

"..."

"I'll look after him." They all turned to Kakashi, the angry face changed to one of peacefulness, offering to the look after the soon to be hated Jinchuuriki of konaha, for nothing.

"Are you sure Kakashi? It's a big responsibility, and you're still young after all."

"I'm sure," Replied Kakashi," After all, looking after his son is the least I could do to thank Sensei."

* * *

Have you ever heard a fox bark before? It's like a scream. I found this out one night when my young 11 year-old self was scared half to death hearing a lady scream outside the hotel my friends and I were staying at.

Well, that's the first chapter done. I have to say it looked a hell of a lot bigger in my note book. I accept constructive criticism, but NO FLAMES. So, if you find any spelling or grammar errors, or just thought of a way to improve my work in any way, just tell me! I know it's not amazing yet, hopefully it'll get better later.


End file.
